Dropping mechanism



Feb. 3, 1959 YOST 2,871,597

DROPPING MECHANISM Filed April 2, 1956 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 48 6 5 Y 45 52 H a1 "Amfim-fi w 40a. FIG. I 1,, 42

IN V EN TOR. PHUL E. V05 7' Feb. 3, 1959 Filed April 2, 1956 P. E. YOST DROPPING MECHANISM 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 as 30 Z7 Z8 32 as #7 up l I 2/ 23 44 I 57a. I 38a. 37 g 92/ s9 24 W 36L 3 INVENTOR.

PAUL E. V0.57

ATTOZA/EY Feb. 3, 1959 v P. E. YOST 2,871,597

DROPPING MECHANISM Filed April 2, 1956 s sheets-sheet a FIG; 3 R

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INVENTOR. PAUL E. V057 Arroe/vgy ite DROPPING MECHANISM Paul E. Yost, Hugo, Minn., assignor to General Mills, Inc., a corporation of Delaware This invention relates to .a' dropping mechanism particularly adapted to be attached to high altitude balloons for dropping units of the payload of the balloon at predetermined intervals after a predetermined period of elapsed time.

In dropping units of payload, which, in the instant embodiment consists of packages of leaflets, it is desirable that such leaflets be dropped from proper altitudes over an extended period of time to provide a spread distribution of the leaflets. Previously, dropping mechanisms have only provided for drops in large volumes with a limited number of drops which resulted in an oversatura' tion of the leaflets in the area so covered.

This invention provides a mechanism which will allow a large number of drops of the units of payload over an extended period of time.

Thus it is an object of this invention to provide a dropping mechanism for high altitude balloons which provides for dropping a determinable number of units constituting the payload of the balloon in a predetermined time period.

Another object of the invention is to provide an altitude means which serves to actuate the dropping mechanism to drop units of payload so that the balloon can rise to its floating altitude to drop the units of payload after a predetermined period of time.

It is a further object of my invention to provide a novel unit of payload releasing means of simplified construction.

Another object of my invention is to provide a cutter and actuating means for travelling in an arcuate path for releasing the individual units of payload.

These and other objects will more fully appear from the following description and will be particularly pointed out in the claims.

To provide a better understanding of the invention, a particular embodiment thereof will be described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is an elevational view of a balloon with the novel dropping mechanism attached thereto;

Fig. 2 is a detailed elevational view of the entire structure of the dropping mechanism;

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the payload supporting means of said dropping mechanism;

Fig. 4 is a schematic drawing of the circuit means for actuating said dropping mechanism;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged isometric of the contact arm of an altimeter unit;

Fig. 6 is an isometric detail of another form of releasing means for said dropping mechanism;

Fig. 7 is an isometric of packages of leaflets being secured for dropping;

Fig. 7a is an isometric of packages of leaflets readied for dropping.

The dropping mechanism of the present invention is adapted for use with high altitude balloons of various types. One such type is shown at 10 and includes a eat body portion of light plastic material designed to contain the desired volume of lifting gas to support a suitable payload. The balloon body 10 may be made in various ways, but customarily includes a tubular body portion with open ends which are closed and sealed. The upper end of the balloon body is sealed and secured at 12 while the lower end 14 is provided with a suitable fitting 15 to which the dropping mechanism, shown generally at 16, is secured.

The balloon 10 is of sufficient size to carry dropping mechanismlfi to an altitude of around 28,000feet with a payload of 700 pounds. The balloon 10 is adapted to carry the payload to a distributing area where units of the payload are released. Should the balloon lose altitude.

prior to reaching the prescribed area in a predetermined time, the dropping mechanism is actuated by an altimeter means which causes a portion of the payload to be dropped so that the balloon may ascend to its floating altitude. Such altimeter means will be further described hereinafter.

Ordinarily, however, with the balloon ascending to its floating altitude, .a timer means initiates the dropping of the payload after a predetermined period of time when the balloon is predicted to be over the desired dropping area. Such timing means will be described hereinafter. It is noted that once the predetermined time has elapsed, the payload is dropped a unit at a time, and this dropping continues until all units of the payload have been detached from the dropping mechanism.

Payload, as defined in the particular embodiment disclosed, consists of a plurality of bundles of paper leaflets, so arranged and secured to the dropping mechanism that upon release of one of the bundles, the paper leaflets are allowed to scatter individually. In the particular embodiment disclosed, the payload to be dropped consists of 50 individual bundles of paper leaflets with each bundle weighing approximately nine pounds. These bundles are arranged around the periphery of a circular member and released therefrom as will be described hereinafter.

Referring now to Fig. 2, the dropping mechanism 16 is provided with an attaching link 17 which is adapted to be joined to link 15 of balloon 10. A main supporting ring 18 is attached to link 17 by means of a cable 19. Welded to ring 13 is a support frame member 20, and at the lower end of said frame member, supporting members 21, 22, 23, and 24 are weldably secured. These supporting members serve as the main support for the dropping mechanism. Guide cables 26 are attached to ring 18 and the outer extremities of said supporting members 21, 22, 23, and 24 to assist member 20 in supporting the dropping mechanism.

A circular member 25, an ordinary bicycle wheel, is attached to supporting members 21, 22, 23, and 24 with supporting frame member 20 passing through the axis of said circular member 25.

Rotatably mounted on member 20 is a rotor arm 27 which extends across the diameter of circular member 25. Rotor arm 27 is confined vertically on member 20 by pins 28 and 29.

Mounted on one end of rotor arm 27 is a motor unit 30, the motor of said unit being energized by direct current from batteries 31 as disclosed in a circuitry to be described in conjunction with Fig. 4. The motor unit 30 includes a worm drive 32 which engages and travels on a semicircular drive gear 33 attached to the rim of circular member 25. In the particular embodiment disclosed, the motor unit 30 drives rotor arm 27 along the extent of gear 33 in three hours.

The batteries 31 are carried in an insulated box member 34, said box being constructed of a lightweight plastic member 25 and extends outwardly therefrom.

material having thermal insulating qualities to protect the batteries from the low temperatures encountered at the high altitudes. Box 34 is attached to supporting members 21 and 23 by linkages 35 and 3.6. Also within box 34 are spring wound clocks 37 and 38 mounted on platform 39. Clocks 37 and 38 serve as the timing means for the dropping mechanism and located between said clocks is altimeter means 40.

A plurality of bundles of leaflets comprising the payload are secured to the rim of circular member 25 by wire linkage. Specifically, bundle 39 is shown supported by wires 53 and 55 to a squib-connecting means 44. The squib-connecting means 44- is attached to the rim of circular member 25 by wire 45 which is surrounded b a plastic tube 46 through which the wires 47 for euerg'" the squib for detonation may be passed.

A contact supporting member 43 is mounted on circular A plurality of electricalcontacts 51 (Fig. 3) are aflixed around the perimeter of member 43 and extend normal thereto. Rotor arm 27 is provided with resilient electrical contacts 49 and 50 attached at each end of the rotor arm and olfset longitudinally from each other so that only one contact is made at a time. Thus contact 40 will engage a contact for firing a squib to release a bundle of leaflets supported from one portion of the circular member 25 and three minutes later, for example, contact 51) will engage a contact 51 to release a bundle of leaflets from the opposite portion of the circular member. This staggering of the release of the bundles allows the load on the circular member to be evenly divided to assist in maintaining the circular member in a horizontal position.

The operation of the dropping mechanism will now be described with reference to Fig. 4. Clocks 37 and 38 are provided for determining the time interval between the time when the balloon is launched and when the dropping of the leaflets is to be initiated. One clock is an auxiliary clock in case the other should fail to operate. The clocks have the conventional spring actuated mechanism within, including a spring wound alarm means. The clocks are wound and the alarm is manually set for a predetermined time interval and at the end of this time interval the alarm is actuated in known manner with the winding key 37a or 3801 for the alarm spring rotating to strike a microswitch 52.. This closing of microswitch 52 causes the motor unit 39 to be energized by batteries 31. The energized motor unit drives rotor arm 27 along a gear 33 thereby moving rotor contacts 49 and 50 into alternate engagement with contacts 51. When, for example, contact 49 energizes contact 51 the circuit including batteries 31 and squib 44 is closed to detonate the squib and rend lines 42 and 43 free of the squib connector 44 to allow the free descent of the leaflets of bundie 39. The continued movement of rotor arm 27 Will 7 cause contact 50 to engage one of the contacts 51 to detonate squib 44a and release the leaflets of bundle 3% in the same manner as described hereinabove.

However, prior to the alarm actuation of microswitch 52, it is possible that the balloon may not attain the floating altitude, and in such case a means is provided whereby the balloon can gain altitude by, in efiect, releasing ballast. In the preferred embodiment, the plurality of bundles of leaflets are used in the same manner as ballast and such numbers of bundles are released to allow the balloon to reach its floating altitude.

Specifically, the means for releasing the bundles to assist the balloon in gaining altitude is altimeter means 40 which is an aneroid control unit such as described in Van Krevelen application, Ser. No. 341,464, new U. S. Patent 2,740,598 issued April 3, 1956, assigned to the same assignee, for positioning contact 40a. As the balloon rises, the bellows of altimeter means 40 moves contact 40a to the right as viewed in the drawing, over an insulating step 43 provided with contacts 41 and 42.

Ordinarily, the ascent of a balloon is rapid and the contact a would quickly move to the extreme right as indicated by point A.

In Fig. 5, two electrical contacts 41 and 42 are. provided on insulating step member 43 having step portions a, b, and c. The contact 40a is forced downwardly on member 43 by a spring means 57' so that as the contact 40a is moved by the bellows 49, the contact 40a is held in contact with step portions 01, b, and 0, respectively. Contacts 41 and 42 are connected to batteries 31 and'motor unit 33 so that the motor unit may beenergized by conact lira coming into engagement with either contact 41 or 42. For example, should the balloon lose altitude when the contact 46a is on step b, the aneroid unit would move contact 40a to the left to engage contact 41, thereby energizing motor unit 3i) to drive rotor arm 27 around circular member 25. Contact 49 would then engage a contact 51 to detonate the squib 44 to release a bundle of leaflets. This release of leaflets acts as a release of ballast and the balloon would tend to gain altitude, con-- tact 49a would be moved away from contact 41 by the action of the aneroid unit and the motor unit 30 would be deenergized thereby. It might be that the release of several bundles of leaflets would be required to allow the balloon to gain its floating altitude. in the present em bodiment, contact 41 is located so that it represents an altitude of about 4,000 feet. The contact 42 may represent, for example, 25,000 feet.

However, the circuit of Fig. '4 is connected so that upon actuation of microswitch 52 by'one of the alarm membersEV/aor 334;, the motor unit will be'energized and remain energized until all .of the bundles of leaflets have been released from the circular member 25 and the altimeter unit 46 will have no effect'on the releasing-of bundles after that time.

Thus .I have provideda circuit for energizing the motor unit prior to the predetermined time period by altimeter unit 46 should the balloon lose altitude and after the predetermined time period the motor unit is energized by the alarm means 37a or 38a acting on microswitchSZ to release allot the bundles of leaflets.

Referring now to Figs. 6, 7, and 7a, I have providedfor a modification of the release of bundles of leaflets by cutting the bundle supporting lines. A cutting member 60, which is shown as an ordinary razor blade, is attached by fasteners 61 to a holding bracket 62 which is secured to the end of rotor arm 27 by fasteners 63. It is to be understood that a similar cutting member is mounted on the other end of rotor arm 27. The rotor arm is rotated in the same manner as described in conjunction with Figs. 2, 3, and 4. The bundles of leaflets are sup.- ported as by line 64, and as the rotor arm 27 is driven around circular member 25, cutting member severs line 64 to drop the bundles of leaflets attached thereto.

The bundles of leaflets are attached to line 64 by lines 65 and 66. Surrounding the leaflets is a holding band 67 which is severed as shown in Figs. 7, 7a prior tolaunching of the balloon. The lines 65 and 66 are tied across opposite corner portions of the bundle as shown in Fig. 7, and manually held together at point B so that line 64 can he slipped under the lines 65 and 66 to hold the bundle as shown in Fig. 7a. One end of line 64 is tied to an opening 655 in the lower perimeter of circular member 25 and the other end is tied .to ring 18. When line 64 is severed by cutting member 60, the bundle is allowed to fall and the leaflets fall free individually as the lines 65 and 66 move outwardly off the corners of the bundle.

Fig. 6 is only a partial view of circular member 25, and it is to be understood that a plurality of bundles are to be'attached around the lower perimeter of member 25, as shown in Fig. 2.

From the foregoing description, a load releasing or dropping mechanism has been provided which permits the release of units of the load individually after a determinable period of time and also for a ballast type release prior to that determinable period should the balloon lose altitude as described in conjunction with altimeter unit 40, the advantages of such dropping of units of load being that the load is released from the dropping mechanism a unit at a time and from opposing portions of the circular member, and that the distribution of the released units is over a predetermined period of time to prevent concentration of the released units at any part of the land area below the balloon. Since many variations of the exact details of construction shown in the drawings will occur to persons skilled in the art in view of the teachings of this application, it is intended that this invention should not be limited to the exact structure shown but only by the scope and spirit of the attached claims.

Now therefore I claim:

1. In a dropping mechanism for a balloon the combination including means to attach said mechanism to a balloon, a supporting frame attached to said means by a vertical extending member, a circular member normal to said vertical extending member secured to said supporting frame, said vertical extending member passing through the central axis of said circular member, a rotor arm rotatably mounted on said vertical extending member, driving means mounted on said rotor arm, gear means mounted on said circular member adapted to be engaged by said driving means to move said rotor arm in relation to said circular member, units of payload joined to said circular member, means attached to said rotor arm for severing individual payload units from said circular member.

2. The combination of claim 1 wherein said driving means is actuated by a timer means electrically connected to said driving means at a predetermined time.

3. The combination of claim 1 wherein said driving means is actuated by an altimeter means prior to said predetermined time.

4. In a load releasing means for a balloon, the combination including, a supporting frame adapted to be attached to said balloon, a circular member provided with a threaded portion attached to said frame, said frame having a vertically extending load bearing member aligned with the central axis of said circular member, a rotor arm rotatably mounted on said vertical member, driving means for said rotor arm mounted on said rotor arm and engageable with said threaded portion to rotate the rotor arm in relation to said circular member, a source of power for said driving means, a plurality of load-bearing means afiixed to the circumference of said circular member to support a plurality of loads, and means integral with said plurality of load-bearing means for rending said load-bearing means to release said load.

5. The combination of claim 4 wherein said means for rending includes a squib energized from said source of 5 power.

6. A load releasing means for a balloon, including in combination, supporting means adapted to be attached to a balloon, a circular member mounted on said supporting means, a rotor arm pivotally mounted on said supporting means, a driving unit mounted on said rotor arm for moving the rotor arm around the circumference of the circular member, a source of power for said driving unit, individual load units attached in spaced relation around the circumference of said circular member, and severing means actuated by the movement of said rotor arm for releasing said load units individually.

7. The combination of claim 6 wherein said source of power is connected to said driving means by a circuit including a switch actuated by a timer means after a predetermined period of time.

8. The combination of claim 6 wherein said source of power is connected to said driving means by a circuit including an altimeter means prior to said predetermined time.

9. A load releasing means for a balloon, including in combination, supporting means adapted to be attached to a balloon, a circular member mounted on said supporting means and having a gear means integral therewith, a rotor arm rotatably mounted on said supporting means,

a driving means mounted on said rotor arm engageable with said gear means to rotate said rotor arm, a source of power for said driving means, timing means connected to said driving means to actuate said source of power after a predetermined time, individual load units attached to the circular member, and severing means for releasing said load units actuated by the movement of said rotor arm.

10. A load releasing means for a balloon, including in combination, supporting frame means including a vertical load bearing member, a circular member means mounted on said supporting frame with said vertical member passing through the axis of said circular member, a rotor arm rotatably mounted on said vertical member, a driving means mounted on said rotor arm and engageable with said circular member means to rotate said rotor arm, individual load units attached to the circumference of said circular member, cutting means attached at each end of said rotor arm to sever said load units from said circular member as the rotor arm is moved by said driving means.

11. The combination of claim 10 wherein said driving means is actuated by a timer means after a predetermined period of time.

12. The combination of claim 10 wherein said driving means is actuated by an altimeter means prior to said predetermined period of time.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 603,689 Hill May 10, 1898 1,417,500 Coley et al. May 30, 1922 1,879,894 Eshbaugh Sept. 27, 1932 1,907,348 Eshbaugh May 2, 1933 

